Epica
by speed killz
Summary: The retake on III Ways To Epica. "...A tale of karma, human lust, desire, vanity and ignorance, greed and corruption, a damned soul fighting not for redemption, but for divine truth. A tale of my soul." - Setsuna. Kono/Setsu. Trad/Angst/Spiritual/Romance
1. Prologue

EPICA

Prologue

The fiery orange sun was beginning to set, signalling the end of another day even as stars began to twinkle to life far in the Eastern sky. Walking barefoot through the nearly empty streets with the remnants of today's sun shining down on her from the heavens above, a child about eight years of age with long straight black hair and stunning warm brown eyes made her way to the familiar house she had always known as home. It was built of brick and mortar, built by the strong capable hands of her mother, or so she had been told. It had a gently angled roof, and a few plate glass windows that decorated the front. There was a meagre garden in the front yard that yielded fresh fruits and vegetables for a good part of the harvesting season, tended to also by her mother, but the other one.

The young girl pushed open the hand built gate, and walked with a happy step toward the front door. Tonight, as the sun set, she would be upon her mother's lap, hearing tales of the adventures she used to embark on, and she would be fascinated by detailed descriptions of worlds beyond her understanding, people of the likes she had never met, and some she hoped she never would meet.

Opening the door, she was greeted by her raven-haired mother, from her comfortable position on her comfortable wooden framed, cloth and fabric stuffed chair.

"Ah, there you are. Are you hungry? Your mother is preparing food for us. Are you ready to hear the rest of the tale?"

The house was built of the finest quality, despite being built by only her mother's two hands, and she nodded even as she felt the chill in the air. The house was cool in the summer, and warm in the winter, as a well built house should be. Smiling at her mother, she walked over, and even though she knew she was getting too big to do so, hoisted herself up into her mother's lap.

Cuddling close to her dark haired mother, she nodded.

"I'm hungry. I want to eat and hear the story!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement. Her mother smiled down at her, and slipped her arms around her daughter to keep her from accidentally falling off the chair and hurting herself.

Chuckling, the raven-haired girl pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"Patience, my love. Soon, we will be feasting upon the food made by the finest cook in this town."

As if directly in response to her spoken words, a rattling of metal pans from the kitchen reached their ears. Leaning her head back against the comfortable cloth of the chair, the woman with the child in her lap closed her eyes and took a moment to thank God for everything that had been given to her, when it so easily could have been taken away. Silently mouthing a prayer, she slowly opened her eyes and straightened up to find her daughter staring at her curiously.

Smiling in response, she ruffled her daughter's hair. "You shall find out all tonight, my dear. I will regale you with a tale so fantastical that you may have trouble believing it to be true. Yet I assure you, it is very, very real."

At that moment, the noises from the kitchen ceased, and a few seconds later, a dark brown-haired girl walked into the room, chocolate eyes still shining bright despite her thirty years of life, the trials and hardships she had fought through. It was easy to see, the way they shone brighter still when she looked at her wife and child, what kept her strong.

She carried a tray of food in her hands, laden down with enough for the three of them. There was another chair, similar to her dark-haired mother's, adjacent to her, and that was where the kind-hearted, smiling-faced, brown-haired doting mother sat. She carefully held out a small bowl of soup to her daughter, who took it with tiny hands, making sure not to spill a drop on herself or the lap she sat on.

"Listen closely, my love, and she will tell you a tale I've heard many times. No matter how many times I hear it though, it never ceases to amaze me."

Yuki, the child, looked up at her raven-haired mother as she began to speak where her brown-haired mother left off.

"Yes, I have a story to be told, come listen tonight. Try to imagine that everything I say is as real as you and I."

Yuki snuggled closer, and ladled a spoonful of soup to her mouth as her mother stood, brown hair swaying about her hips.

"I'll start the fire, love."

Yuki leaned against her mother's chest as she heard her hum deeply, vibrating through her chest.

"Se-Chan?" Yuki asked, clutching the soup bowl tightly.

"Yes, Yuki-Chan?" The raven-haired woman asked.

"Do you love Kono-Chan? Do you love Mommy?"

A rather uncharacteristic giggle resounded from Setsuna, something Yuki hadn't heard before despite having posed her this question many times.

"More than you'll ever know. In fact, if you listen to this tale tonight, you'll know exactly how much I love Kono-Chan. And, believe it or not, it has everything to do with how we have come to be blessed with you, Yuki-Chan."

Yuki kicked her legs in excitement as Konoka came back over to sit beside her, with the fire now beginning to flicker to life. Soon, it would be a heated roar, and keep them all warm through the night.

Everything was silent for a moment, except for the crackling of the fire, as Setsuna took a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I need you to imagine this world, long in the past. The story of a love stronger than the flow of time, the story of karma, human lust, desire, vanity and ignorance, greed and corruption, of a damned soul fighting desperately, not for redemption, but for understanding of truths not known to this mortal world. Imagine a soul hungry for knowledge, for the knowledge of divine truth, searching for an answer to questions that inevitably held an answer that that very soul eventually helped create, without knowing it until it was almost too late."

Yuki felt shivers go down her spine at Setsuna's words, and unbeknownst to her, Konoka was experiencing the same reaction.

"This is the story of how one longing, searching soul was lead so far astray from the path of God that they almost never found their way back. That soul is me, and it all started over two hundred years ago..."

Yuki's eyes widened, and she almost interrupted, saying humans didn't live that long, but she knew better than to disrupt her mother. Instead, she would hold fast to the belief that her mother would not lie to her, and hang onto every word as the absolute truth.

"My descent into misfortune began with a divine bet...it is here that I begin my tale. Listen closely, for I have much to say..."

_Over 200 years in the past, a divine bet is made over a soul not yet born..._

High upon his decorative throne, residing in the most beautifully designed hall only tentatively imagined by the greatest of human minds, sat a wizened old man. Older than time itself and solely responsible for all creation, he breathed deeply as he regarded the man before him with piercing blue eyes.

"So what has brought you to my Kingdom, Mephisto?" He asked, his left hand leaving the armrest of this throne to stroke his lengthy white beard. His right hand remained on his throne, hand curled regally around the edge to gently drum his fingers against the solid gold, ornately decorated throne.

Kneeling before him was a tall handsome man with sharp features and flawless perfect white skin. Straightening at the words spoken to him, he took a moment to smooth his black button down long sleeved shirt over his black leather pants, scuffing his black studded boots over the immaculately white floor. Numerous rings graced his fingers, a sure sign of vanity and status, and around his neck were two silver chains that sparkled in the light. When he smiled, his sharp predatory teeth glistened, immaculate straight rows of teeth that seemed almost unnatural. Almost.

His black hair was slightly curly, but more so straight; his sideburns ending near his ears in shaved points. Overall, he was startlingly attractive.

"I desire to stand by your side once more, your loyal servant for eternity, singing your praises and doing your bidding as you see fit, my Lord."

Despite the man's cocky grin, his words rang with truthful desperation, and the elderly robed man on the throne hummed deeply, nodding his head slowly at him until he was staring at Mephisto from under his heavy brows.

"Mephisto, my beloved son, are you prepared to give your life once more to me, and become my ever-loyal servant for eternity?"

At this, the black-clad man fell to his knees, bowing his head to the floor.

"With all of my being, Father. I desire nothing more than that." He said fervently.

"I cast you out of my Heavenly Kingdom when you refused to bow down and worship mankind a thousand years ago, as I had bid all my angels to do. Are you ready to atone for your sins and rejoin my side?"

At this, the spiky haired man whipped his left arm out to the side, still bowed, as if to cast aside his words.

"My loyalty is only to you, my Lord! In everything I do, I strive to worship you, and you alone! Humans are disgusting, vile, imperfect creatures and I shall not bow to them! I bow only to you, Lord!" Anger contorted his face, though he kept his forehead pressed to the floor.

"Were they not created by my hand, in mine own image?" The man upon the throne asked.

"Yes, but they are not you. Though they strive to see your face, emulate you, pretend to be you, they never will, and I will never bow!"

"This is unacceptable. You shall never be granted access to my Kingdom until you can overcome your hatred for humans, and learn to accept them instead."

At this, the man straightened slowly, then stood.

"I propose a wager, my Lord..."

A smile crossed the Creator's face.

"A wager, you say? What may it be?"

A sickening grin crossed Mephisto's face.

"If I can steal the soul of your favourite human, lead them into corruption, and make their soul unredeemable, proving those petty creatures for what they are, proving they are unworthy of my praise and worship, will you accept me back into your Kingdom as your right hand man once more? You can see into my soul, plain as day, the only desire that burns there, is to serve you once more as your loyal servant, to sing your praises day and night, worshipping only you, as you rightfully deserve."

The wizened old man nodded slowly, stroking his lengthy white beard.

"Very well. If you can capture the soul of my favourite human, and lead them astray from the path of righteousness, rendering their soul evil, and not worth saving, if you can truly condemn them and pronounce them damned, then I will accept you back into my kingdom with open arms, my Son."

Mephisto grinned wolfishly, the gleam of his teeth shining almost as brightly as the gleam in his eyes.

"I'll see you soon...my Lord." With that, he raised his arms into the air, and in an instant, vanished.

The old man was left alone once more, chuckling to himself.

"I shall lead my favourite human to clarity, who previously only served me confusedly. Mephisto, I will allow you to attempt to lead astray, for man must err while he doth strive. A good man, in his darkest impulses, remains aware of the right path."

_END PROLOGUE_

A/N: Okay, so I am once again attempting to write the Epica story. I've dramatically changed the storyline and character line-up, with the obvious exception of Konoka, and Setsuna. I'm hoping I can make this half as epic as the inspiration for this story is. There will be a lot less action in this fic, although to combat that, I'm considering continuing III Ways To Epica, for those that followed that fic. I still have all the notes for it, and everything is planned out, and I think it would make a surreal, alternate universe accompaniment to this fanfic. This, however, remains to be seen. Either way, as was intended with III Ways To Epica, this is a pet project, and won't be updated as frequently as Shatter or the other projects I have going at the moment. Any and all interest is welcomed. Thank you!


	2. Center Of My Universe Part 1

EPICA

_Center of My Universe_

_-Part 1-_

It was spring time. Grass was sprouting up fresh and green in hearty patches as the last of winter faded away. Trees once naked and forlorn, began to show traces of buds and stubs of leaves as the shining sun and winter-wet earth fortified them with neccessary nutrients for growth. Most of the ground was still damp, although with a few more days of shining sun, it would be dry and fertile once more. Already farmers on the outskirts of town were readying their oxen and ploughs, breaking out seed stockpiled over the long winter to replenish depleted personal stores of crop and to hopefully make a surplus to sell at market for a small profit.

It was evening. The air was no longer warm. It held a slight chill as the cool air got only colder, the moon high and far away in the sky. Stars littered the sky like a million stationary fireflies, twinkling in and out of focus to those who might've had their heads upturned, gaze upon the beautiful night. It was cold enough to still see breath forming in the air, although tomorrow promised to be a beautiful day, if the near-cloudless sky was any indication.

The smell of damp earth, cold fresh air, and the ever-present scent of ocean water filled the air. Amongst the familiar scents were familiar sounds. On the outskirts; birds. They called back and forth, flapping wings nervously as brush rustled underneath their perch in the branches high above. Somewhere in the distance, two owls argued back and forth in haughty tones, and the noise of crickets and other small insects could be heard in the background of the din of wildlife.

Within the town, however, the sounds were much different. Tonight, the air should have been filled with the sound of laughter, applause, crowds ooh'ing and ahh'ing, and the sound of music and dance as the town theatre debuted it's newest musical number. There was no performance, however, and no crowd. The open-air theatre lay abandoned, alone and ghostly, and it was just as well, for on the distant horizon, a storm front was brewing that promised to bring midnight showers with it, effectively putting a damper on any show that may have been going on. There wasn't much moonlight to see by tonight, for the moon was in the phase of it's cycle where it was furthest from the earth, so tiny in the night sky that if one glanced momentarily, they might be hard-pressed to find it without a moment's further inspection.

Everything lay wrapped in the dark embrace of shadow, from the abandoned, empty streets running through the middle of town to the high, curved stone wall wrapping around the back of the theatre. Even the stone bench seating, out in open air and elevated so as to provide spectators with a decent view was hidden in perpetual shadow, the stone cold and inviting. One could easily slip from shadow to shadow unnoticed by the sharpest pair of eyes, although one would have to be extremely silent to not give themselves away, for the air held an eerie calm. Sounds of the forest on the outskirts of town didn't reach this far into town, and the silence was so loud it was almost painful.

If one cared to inquire as to why exactly the theatre was abandoned on a scheduled performance night, why torches didn't light up the unfriendly, cold air with a warm, enlightening blaze, why the audience wasn't reacting to the performance as if it were really occuring, one would be told that it is because the owner, manager and lead performer in the play could not attend. And without the lead, the show certainly would not go on. Thus, the show was cancelled, moved to another night in the near future. If one inquired as to the reason for the absence of such an important person, this is what they would find...

Down the dark, desolate street, completely devoid of life, lay rows of finely crafted houses. They were in neat, orderly lines, as was much of the town, and it was well cared-for and maintained. The moonlight was not bright enough to illuminate the cobblestone street, so care had to be taken walking down it in case one stumbled upon a disorderly stone, or recently formed pothole.

The eighth house on the right was the house of the theatre owner, manager, and lead performer. Due to her success, this house was slightly larger than the surrounding houses, but only moderately so. Vanity was not a trait this demure woman possessed, and the enlargement of the house was soley due to the fact that she was expecting a child.

In through the front door. It used to squeak upon opening, but a skilled metalsmith had forged new hinges and lubricated them with a drop of oil. Now, they opened silently and smoothly. The smell of finely crafted wood was apparent here, as the entire house was built from it. A crude sort of stain had been applied to the wood with a great success. The wood had been stained darker, lending it a rich look and slightly altered scent, and it was now protected against most water damage, both inside and out.

Up the stairs. From the moment of entering the front door...nay, standing outside the house, tortured, labored screams of pain could be heard. Now, as one climbed the stairs, the screams got louder, more frantic. Panic could be heard, both in the screams of the woman in labor, and in the voice of the male trying desperately to calm both himself and her down.

"Breathe! Breathe, my love! Everything will be okay!"

The woman in question was lying on her back on her bed, disposable sheets piled underneath her for protection and to maintain cleanliness. Sweat slid down her brow as she tried vainly to focus on her breathing; it was nigh on impossible though, the pain was incredible.

A midwife gently brushed by the male as he crouched by the bedside, grasping the woman's hand and coaching her on.

"Come on love, you're almost there!"

Her response was a pained scream, echoing down the stairs and throughout the house.

"I can see the head! Push!"

The woman groaned, inhaling deeply as she struggled to do as she was told against the immense pain.

Another few moments, and it was over. A new sound joined the fray, a newborn baby. Immediately, it began crying, and the midwife quickly swaddled it up in a comfortable wrap of blankets, making sure to wipe off it's skin as best she could. Later, she would bathe it properly, but for now, the babe's mother held out her arms wantingly, still breathing heavily from her exertions yet wanting to see her newborn baby.

Carefully, she moved over and transferred the precious bundle to her mother. As she took the baby into her arms, the crying slowly stopped. A large smile crossed her mother's face, and she looked up at her husband with tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

"We...have a girl!"

He tentatively reached out, almost unable to believe his eyes, and gently slid a finger down the baby's cheek. A small tuft of raven hair was matted to her scalp, and her skin was the typical reddish of a newborn.

"A baby girl." He whispered, eyes widened in disbelief. "She's beautiful."

"What should we name her?" He asked, unable to look away from his baby.

"I think we should stick to the name we thought we would call her if she was a girl."

"I agree." He said, smiling. The mother gently passed the baby to him, and he stood, raising the baby closer to his face. She peered back at him with large blue eyes, then giggled and waved her tiny hands in the air as he grinned back, still unable to believe that he was holding his child in his arms.

"Welcome to this world...Setsuna Sakurazaki."

-EPICA-

The next morning, the sun was out. Still fairly low on the horizon, it shone with a brilliant warmth that put a smile on the face of anyone who felt it's heated rays upon their skin. The air was much warmer than the night before, and the streets teemed with life, a stark contrast from the night before. There was a certain joyous atmosphere present, and with all the people gathered, it was easy to see why. The town had gathered this morning to celebrate the addition of not one, but two new lives brought into this world the night before, two beatuiful healthy baby girls.

The crowd had gathered at the center of the town, ready to offer congratulations, praise, and small gifts to both of the first time couples. First though, they had to be baptized in the name of God, and the local priest took charge of the baptism.

Both of the mothers came forward carrying their newborn children, and came to a stop beside the priest. He looked to each of the mothers, then congratulated them on their children.

"You must be very proud." He said, looking from one to the next. "This town is very blessed to have recieved two healthy, beautiful girls in one night. Truly, God is looking out for us."

He turned his attention to the crowd, and raised his arms, looking for quiet. It took a moment, but the people of the town quieted down, whispers dropping away until there was absolute silence.

"We gather here this fine spring morning to welcome into life two new children, brought here by the hands of God. I ask you all to join me in prayer, as we ask God to watch over them, protect them, lead them not unto the path of temptation and sin, and ask God to bless them with intelligence, virtue, honesty, integrity, and all manner of moral standards."

There was a chorus of "Amen" from the crowd, and the priest crossed himself, then both the children. Finally, he took the raven haired baby from her mother, and held her carefully in his arms.

"And this little one's name is?"

"Setsuna Sakurazaki." Her mother said proudly.

He nodded, repeating the name to himself.

Holding the child up into the air, he muttered a short prayer to himself, then spoke aloud for the rest to hear.

"Setsuna Sakurazaki, I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." With that, he gently lowered the baby into a basin of Holy water, before quickly pulling her up again. Setsuna didn't cry at the touch of the cold water, but her cherubic cheeks reddened as her eyes narrowed, her red lips coming together in a frown. She was wrapped in a cloth so she wouldn't get a chill, then replaced in her mother's arms once more.

It was the other girl's turn now. Her brown haired mother stepped up, and gently handed off her baby. The same procedure was repeated, and when the baby was raised from the basin of water, she emerged giggling and waving her tiny fists about. The noise drew the attention of Setsuna, who looked away from the sky and turned her piercing blue eyes upon the other child. The laughing child with a few strands of dark brown hair met her gaze, still laughing, and for a moment they simply stared. Then the child was returned to her mother, with words of congratulations for the successful baptism of her child.

"Setsuna Sakurazaki, Konoka Konoe, life has just begun for you. Give your life over to God and he will give you richness of spirit, the capability to handle everything that is thrown your way, and the tenacity to overcome any physical, emotional, or spiritual struggle, Amen."

The 'Amen' was echoed by the the rest of the town gathered around them, and amidst smiles and laughter, the two mothers carried their children down into the bustling throng. All around them people flocked, with congratulatory words, small gifts, bits of advice, offers to help, whilst some just cooed at the babies and played with their tiny hands. The baby Konoka was quick to laugh at nearly everything, her shrieks and giggles garnering laughter from those around her, whilst the stoic-faced Setsuna observed everything with silence, her wide blue eyes taking in everything.

Amongst the celebrations, amongst the joy, no one could have realized the future that lay ahead for both of these girls. For Setsuna, and even for Konoka, the events that awaited them transcended the realm of believability. Truly, their journey had just begun.

-EPICA-

The sun was shining high in the sky, warming the air to near perfection. It was mid-afternoon, and the classroom had all the windows open to allow the air in the class to circulate. The few students who weren't dozing off in the warm afternoon air were gazing out the windows longingly, desiring to be outside where they could play in the sun with their friends. There was a pause, resulting in a moment of silence, before the sound of chalk scraping across a blackboard broke the quiet.

"Thirteen minus seven, anyone know the answer?"

The only response was a yawn from somewhere in the back of the classroom. That is, until one raven-haired girl put up her hand.

"Yes, Setsuna? You have the answer?"

"Six." The short-statured seven-year-old replied, her legs dangling off the edge of the chair, her toes mere inches from the floor.

"That is correct! Good for you!"

The snow-white skinned girl dropped her arm and it rejoined the other folded across her chest. Not a ghost of a smile crossed her face, and she expressed no sign of joy at the praise. She merely leaned back in her seat and stared at the teacher, only part of her mind focused on her work while the other part thought ahead to sword training later in the day. It was the part of the day she easily looked forward to the most, however she knew that she could not forsake her education just to train.

A momentary lapse in her concentration, and she sighed, looking to her right and glancing out the window. The sun had slowly crawled across the sky until it's searing rays fell directly through the window, and Setsuna felt her eyelids growing heavy as the heat warmed her body. She considered putting her head down on her desk for a few minutes, but judging by the sound of heavy breathing behind her, that would result in her falling asleep rather quickly. She sighed once more. Speaking of falling asleep...Setsuna half turned in her seat, her eyes falling on a particular student that was sleeping soundly behind her.

"Hey, Konoka, wake up. You're gonna get in trouble again!"

A soft groan, then the small girl raised her head from her desk, brushing back her shoulder length chocolate brown hair. Her matching vivid brown eyes flickered open, then found their way to Setsuna's own dark chocolate eyes. Instantly, Konoka smiled, and waved her hand at her non-chalantly.

"Is class almost over?" She asked, rubbing her eyes. She then yawned, and Setsuna merely stared at her until she reopened her eyes, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. When she refocused her gaze on Setsuna, Setsuna looked away and shrugged.

"Not too long now." She said. Straightening in her seat, she focused on the numbers being written on the board. There was silence for a minute, then Setsuna felt a tapping on her shoulder.

"Hey, do you have sword-training after school today?"

Setsuna nodded, knowing she could see it and that she didn't have to speak and risk getting caught.

"Aww, darn. I wanted to play today!"

"We can tomorrow, Konoka." Setsuna murmured.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Yay!" Konoka leaned forward and hugged her little friend from behind, earning a questioning glance from the teacher.

"Konoka? Setsuna? Something to share?"

Setsuna shook her head, ignoring the feel of Konoka's hands retreating from around her neck.

"No. May I leave early, teacher? I have to prepare for sword training."

"Certainly. If you can answer one more math problem."

Setsuna, who had been in the process of standing, hesitated, then sunk back into her seat. Raising her gaze, she looked to the board.

"Please solve this equation. 25 minus 7, plus four."

Setsuna thought about it for a moment. They had learned a few days ago how to do multi-part equations, but hadn't practiced much. Now, though, if she wanted to get out of here early, she would have to figure this out.

Her lips moved as she whispered to herself, solving through the problem. She quickly recognized that taking away seven just to add four was just the same as originally taking away three, so she quickly figured out the math.

"Twenty-two!" She said.

"Correct! Well done! See you tomorrow!"

Gathering up her books, she hopped down from her seat and waved goodbye to Konoka. Excitement coursing through her at the thought of sword training out in the sun, she took off. Short legs propelled her across the field toward the building where her instructor waited.

As she did, a smile slowly started to spread across her face. This was her favourite. She couldn't wait!

End Part 1.


End file.
